Machine tool press



Aug 26, 1952 s. s. BATTLES ET A| 2,608,253

MACHINE TOOL PRESS BY HAROLD VERSO/V Patented Aug. 26, 1952 MACHINE 'rooL PRESS Stewart S. Battles, Galesburg, Ill., and Harold Versen, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Diamond Machine Tool Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a partnership Application November 24, 1947, Serial No. 787,778

3 Claims.

This invention relates to industrial presses and has as its generalobject to provide a light weight, multi-purpose machine tool press.

One of the objects of` the inventio-n is to provide a press that can'be utilized for a multiplicity of operations including die stamping, embossing, blanking, and shearing. The adaptation of the press to these various uses, particularly as a power shear, requires maximum exposure of the tooling that is mounted in the press, and one of the objects of the invention is therefore to provide for maximum exposure. Another object is to provide a press of maximum simplicity and lightness combined with a high degree of sturdiness and capacity for handling operations involving heavy loads. Toward the attainment ofthese objects, a fundamental characteristic of the press' is the utilization of a pair of (and not more than two) .combined guide posts and power transmitting units having the combined function of mounting the head of the press for vertical reciprocatory movement and transmittingthe movement thereto. These movement transmitting units are of the pull down type, whereby the head of the press may be quite low and compact.

We are aware that presses embodying combined guide posts and pull down power transmitting mechanism have been employed in a number of instances. In most cases, such machines have been special machines for light work such as perforating plaster board, shearing strip material, cutting furs, etc. Such machines have not, however, been successfully employed in the past for heavy stamping andoformin'g, operations, for the reason lthat itghasnot been possibleVunder high loadrconditions, to achieve suici'entsta.-

proved guide mechanism such that av pair of the guide units are capable of maintaining accurate alignment of die members in heavy stamping and forming operations.

Another characteristic of Athe invention is the employment of high strengthmaterials inv the lframe structure ofthe press. AIn the past Ait has been the universal custom to construct the frames vof large presses, etc.' from cast iron, and iniorder to attain adequate strength, such frames have involved enormous weight. I have discovered that by constructing the frame of the press in such a manner as to utilize a series of plate members, welded together, and by employing a high strength steel 'or .other high strength material instead of cast iron, that it is possible to provide a press having only a fraction of theweight of conventional presses ofthe same load capacity.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawings in which: v

' Fig. 1 is a perspective view of aV press embodying my invention;

' Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the press taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig..3 is a vertical sectional view of the press taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of a modified form of the head of the press; and

Fig. 5 isla vertical sectional view of Fig. 4.

In the press which is shown herein as an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the frame of the press embodies a bed I0 of solid plate metal having4 a high strength factor, preferably steel. The bedis supported upon a pair of upright end members II the upper edges of which are Welded lto the under side of the bed. The bed and end members are connected and braced Yby a box .structureincluding vertical side members I2 (the upper edges of which are Welded to the under side of the bed), and flange members I3 welded to the lower edges of the side members I2. This box structure is Vopen at the bottom and the bed `IIJ has therein a longitudinally extending opening I4. The opening I4 functions to receive depending portions of die sets that are mounted on the bed. ,The bed I0is provided with a series of vertical holes lthrough which may be extendedbolts for securing die sets to the bed. The end members II are connected, near their lower ends, by a longitudinal member -IS welded thereto.V

The ram or head I9 of the press comprises simply. a heavy plate of steel or other high strength metal braced by a bridge 20 welded to its upper face and extending longitudinally thereof midway between its sides, together with a series of buttresses 2| which are welded to the bridge 20 and head plate I9 respectively. Welded to the end portions of the upper surface of the head plate I9 are a pair of bosses 22. Bores23 extend vertically through the bosses 22 and communicate with lar-ger bores I'l in the head I9.

' A pair of slide bearing collars 24 have ilanges 25 through which cap screws 26 are extended and threaded into the head I9 and bosses 22. The bores of the collars 24 register with the bores I1 in the head I9. Mounted within the collars are bearing bushings 2l which slidably receive bearing sleeves 28. The bearing sleeves 28 at their lower ends have flanges 29 that are secured upon the bed I3 by cap screws 30 threaded into the bed, and pilot collars 3I that are fitted into openings in the bed. Draw rods 32 are slidably mounted in bushings I8 which are secured in the respective ends of the bearing sleeves 28. bores I1 and the draw rods 32 define annular recesses the upper extremities of which are defined by shoulders I'I constituting lower surfaces of the bosses 22. The draw rods 32 have threaded reduced upper end portions 33 and, at the lower extremities thereof, shoulders on which are seated washers 35. The washers 35 engage the shoulders I1 and the bosses 22 are clamped between these washers and nuts 34 which, together with locknuts 35, are threadedon the reduced portions 33 of the draw rods.

The lower ends of the rods32 are pivoted, through the medium of pivot pins 31, between yoke arms 38 of connecting rods 39. Eccentrics 40, on a drive shaft. 4I, are journalled in bearing loops 42 on the lower ends of the connecting rods 39. The ends of the drive shaft 4I are journalled in bearings 43 in the end members I I. The shaft 4I is driven by a motor 44 through the mediumv of gearing indicated generally at 45, and a clutch and flywheel unit 45. A constant drive brake unit 4T is anchored at 48 to a strut 49 that bridges between the members I3 and IG. The brake unit has a rotatable element 50, secured to the shaft 4I, which is constantly braked thereby. The braking and eccentric mechanism just-described are of conventional construction and do not form an essential part of the present invention. The clutch 45 is controlled by a treadle bar 5I..

:It may now be noted that, in the operation of the press, rotation of the drive shaft 4I-will draw the-rods32 downwardly and that in such downward movement, the head I9 will be guided -by the sliding of the bearing bushings 2'I upon the outer surfaces of the bearing sleeves 28. This slide bearing arrangement provides adequate positioning support for the head I9 to maintain accurate register between die punches and punch openings without relying upon the draw rods 32. The rods 32 may then have a relatively loose t inthe bosses 22 so as to avoid the diiiiculties that would arise from attempting to t them closely to both the head and the bearing" sleeves.

The'large bearing area of the bushing'Z'Iv makes it possible to maintainaccurate positioning of the head for long periods of time, with very little loosening, under wear, of the iit of the sleeve 28 in the bushing. I Thebearin'g-support of the draw rods-32 takesall of the lateral thrust of the connecting rods 39, so that such lateral thrust does not affect the positioning of the head.'-Y

lin the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, means are provided for simultaneously adjusting both ends of the head I9 relative to the draw rods 32. The threaded end 33 of eachv draw rod 32 is threaded through an adjusting nut 34 which has bearing collar extensions 52 and 53 respectively journalledin bearings in the bottom of a gear case 54 and in a cap 55 for the case 54. The gear case `54v and cap 55 are secured t0 a boss 22 by meansof bolts B extended through the cap and case and threaded into the boss. The cap 55 has a dome The 4 51 to receive the upper end of the threaded portion 33. The nut 34 is formed with a worm gear 58 which meshes with a worm pinion 59 on an adjusting shaft 60 journalled in the bosses 22. The shaft 60 has a squared end 6I to which a wrench may be applied. Threaded on the rod portions 33 below the adjusting nuts 34', and accommodated in bores I'I' in the bosses 22', are a pair of locknuts 36'. Each nut 36' has an axially extending recess in which is mounted a poppet pin 62 and a coil spring 53 which, under compression between the bottom of the recess and the lower end of the pin, urges the pin upwardly so as to cause it to latch into any one of a number of recesses in the collar 52 of the adjusting nut 32', so that the locknut 62 will be latched to the adjusting nut and will consequently rotate therewith during adjusting operations. When the locknut is tightened against the adjusting nut, the adjusting mechanism will be locked so that it can not be shifted from a selected Vposition of adjustment. The locknut is moved by inserting a lever through an aperture 64 in the boss 22' and into one of a series of openings 65 in the periphery of the locknut.

We claim:

1. In a machine tool press. a bed comprising a thick plate of high strength steel having solid end portions and a slot extending longitudinally between said end portions, frame means comprising a plurality of steel plate members welded to the under side of the bed and end members welded to the ends of the bed and said plate members. a pair of bearing sleeves secured to said solid end portions of the bed and projecting upwardly, the bed having a pair of apertures coaxial with the bores of said sleeves, a head disposed horizontally, parallel to and above saidV bed, a pair of bearing collars projecting downwardly from said head and receiving the upper portions of said sleevesI said collars having sliding bearing engagement with the exterior surfaces of said sleeves, a pair lof bosses projecting upwardly from said head and having bores coaxial with the respective collars, a pair of draw rods extending loosely through said bores and through said sleeves and having threaded upper ends projecting above said bosses, adjusting nuts threaded upon the respective threaded ends of said draw rods and arranged to transmit downward pull to the upper ends of said bosses, said draw rods having sliding bearing engagement within said sleeves, and means below said bed connected to the lower ends of 'said draw rods for reciprocating said rods vertically.

2. In a machine `tool press, a bed, a-pair of spacedtubular bearings mounted on and rising from said bed, a head, a pair of bearing-collars secured to said head, projecting downwardly therefrom and receiving and slidably bearing on the outer surfaces of said bearing sleeves, whereby to position the head with reference to the bed, a pairof draw rods extending through said collars and through said sleeves, said draw rods having sliding bearing engagement with the-inner surfaces of said sleeves, and power driven means connected to the lower ends of said draw rods for reciprocating them vertically, the upper ends of said draw rods having means for transmitting downward movement to said head, said last mentioned means comprising nuts threaded on the upper ends of the respective draw rods, worm gears carried by the respective nuts, worms mesh.- ing with the respective worm gears, and lock nuts also threaded on said shaft and engageablewith Ehe aforesaid nuts for locking them against rotaion.

3, In a machine tool press, a bed, a pair of spaced tubular bearings mounted on and rising from said bed, a head, a pair of bearing collars secured to said head, projecting downwardly therefrom. and receiving and slidably bearing on the outer surfaces of said bearing sleeves, whereby to position the head with reference to the bed, a pair of draw rods extending through said collars and through said sleeves, said draw rods having sliding bearing engagement With the inner surfaces of said sleeves, and power driven meansconnected to the lower ends of said draw rows for reciprocating them vertically, the upper ends of said draw rods having means for transmitting downward movement to said head, said last mentioned means comprising abutment means on the upper ends of said draw rods, engaging the upper face of said head, said head having openings through which said draw rods extend with clearance whereby said head may assume the position dictated by the interengagement of said bearing collars and sleeves.

STEWART S. BA'ITLES. HAROLD VERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

